The Truth About 'Dressing for Your Age'

Plus, advice on jumpsuits and three-piece suits.

Cosmopolitan.com's Style Editor, Charles Manning, answers your questions about dressing for your age, jumpsuits as formalwear, and how to wear a three-piece suit in this week's Reader Style Q&A.

Q: How do I know if I'm too old or too young for something?

A: Magazines and makeover shows love to talk about "dressing for your age" as if there are certain things that only girls in their teens or 20s can pull off (i.e. clothes that are colorful, sexy, and playful), but the truth is there are no hard and fast rules on dressing by age. If you want to wear something and you are expressing yourself and feeling good, that's all that really matters. Anyone who tells you that you should be dressing differently because of your age is probably just projecting her own insecurities about getting older onto you, and that's not your problem.

em>Miley Cyrus, 21; Jennifer Lopez, 44; Betsey Johnson, 71

Q: Are formal jumpsuits acceptable, or is everyone just laughing at me?

A: There's a lot more to formalwear than dresses and gowns. Jumpsuits are actually very in right now, and even if they weren't, that wouldn't be a reason not to wear one, especially if dresses just aren't really your thing. Just make sure the jumpsuit you choose is in a style and material that makes sense for the event you're attending — imagine it had a skirt instead of pant legs and if it feels adequatley dressy then go for it. You may get a few comments and sidelong glances from people not fashion-forward enough to try the look themselves, but jumpsuits are cool and anyone who would judge you or laugh at you for wearing one is not really worth your time anyway.

A: There's something about three-piece suits that feels very costume-y and retro to me. They make me think of mobsters and Annie Hall and hunting parties at English country homes. There's nothing inappropriate about them — they're still suits — but a three-piece suit definitely makes more of a statement than a two-piece suit and you need to make sure that you're comfortable with that. That said, if you want to give it a shot, go for it. If it turns out to be too much look for your particular office, you can always just take the vest off.